


Harsh Reality

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-22
Updated: 2007-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-19 21:44:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12418773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: The beginning.The First War L/J centric





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

  
Author's notes: 1  


* * *

It wasn't one of those things you could look back on say, "Yes. That's where it started." 

It had seemed innocent enough at first. There was some crazy man, Voldiemore, or something along those lines. He had ideas. They weren't original ideas - not by far. It was an old argument, one exacerbated by Grindelwald and his reign, that half bloods and Muggleborns weren't as deserving of their magic as "Purebloods". It wasn't the first time that this had been said, older Wizards said solemnly, and it most certainly wouldn't be the last. It was nonsense, they said, secure in their belief that they weren't prejudiced, because they would never dream of treating a poor Muggleborn differently. They already knew how it would play out. This man - what kind of silly name was Voldemort, anyway? No one would take him seriously with a name like that - would write articles, books, essays, he would hold rallies and give rip roaring speeches that the majority would ignore. At worst, a few young hot heads would agree with him, but as it usually went, they would get bored within a few weeks. Just like it always happened. 

No one really believed that Muggleborns were the cause behind the moral decay of the Wizarding world. No one really believed that breeding with Half Bloods and Muggleborns was diluting the power of the Wizarding blood. 

No one. 

Their righteous eyes passed over the traditional family's, the Five "Pure" family's that were the back bone of Wizarding society, the last bloodlines that upheld any standards when it came to the marriages their children would make. They couldn't see that Muggleborns and Halfbloods were woefully under represented in the Ministry. But, they would protest, can't you see how many Muggleborns we have employed here, never understanding that there had never been a Minister for Magic who was not a Pureblood Wizard. 

A generation of Wizards and Witches, so blind to their own prejudices that it came as a shock when this Voldemort became popular - so popular, in fact, that his followers began a movement, called themselves Death Eaters, gave themselves a Mark, walked proudly through the streets. So popular that Pureblood families began to take heed of what he was saying - wasn't it just what they all knew anyway? It was obvious that Muggleborns were no where near the same level as Pureblooded Witches and Wizards, it wasn't right that their children should mix with such scum. 

It wasn't until later that it became clear - the shock wasn't at the fact Voldemort had gained popularity and acceptence amongst so many wizards with his oratory and radical conservatism. It was shock that they were so up front with the policies, so honest with their beliefs - they were admired, hated, worshipped, honoured, whispered about, but most of all, they were feared. 

It was fear that stopped others from speaking out against the sudden rise in violence. It was fear that made them turn away from gang of Death Eaters hunting for Muggleborns and Halfbloods. After all, it was just going to pass. They would soon tire of their fanatical zeal and the world would go back to normal, peaceful, routine. Just like it always had. 

 

 

A/N: huh. So this is a prologue to a story I wanted to write. It started as a single scene in my head and just exploded from there. I'm not sure how long it is going to be, but I knew that I had to write this. It sets the mood and atmosphere for the next chapter/s perfectly. I modelled this on what it was like in Germany during the Nazi parties rise to power - it's always how I imagined Voldemorts rise to power. So review, con crit is VERY welcome, I really want to get this fic right. I'll probably be revising and rewriting this a lot. Thanks for reading! 


	2. When The World Caves In

_Is this the New Year or just another night?_  
Is this the new fear or just another fright?  
Is this the new tear or just another desperation? 

_Is this the finger or just another fist?_  
Is this the kingdom or just a hit n' miss?  
A misdirection, lost in all this desperation 

_Is this what they call freedom?_  
Is this what you call pain?  
Is this what they call discontented fame? 

_It'll be a day like this one_  
When the world caves in 

 

Lily Evans had never dreaded coming to school before. She had, of course, been nervous on her first day, when she was still young and completely clueless about Hogwarts. She had been terrified and almost sick from the fear of the unknown, her only hope in the form of a skinny greasy haired boy (he had left her anyway, left her for those boys). 

She had always expected that she would react differently to receiving the Head Girl badge. Joy, perhaps. Excitement. Smugness even. Not fear. Not this feeling of terror and dread and fear. 

It wasn't fair, she thought, hot tears springing to her eyes, not fair at all that she should have this ruined for her, ruined because she was a Muggleborn. 

"Honey? Lily!" Lily looked up from the letter scrunched in her hands in time to see her mother rush into the room, forehead crinkled with worry lines. "Why are you crying darling?" 

Lily bit her lip and looked back to the thick parchment in her hand. She mutely held up the badge, wincing at her mothers excited squeal (she didn't know any other woman of 40 who still squealed). Her mother enfolded her in a tight hug, sitting next to her daughter on the bed. 

"Oh, Lily! Congratulations, I'm so proud of you. I can't wait to tell your Father, he'll be so pleased. We were all so disappointed when Petunia missed out last year..." 

Lily had forgotten about that. Petunia had graduated from her highschool last year, furious that she had been passed over for Head Girl for another girl. Those Easter holidays had been absolutely horrid, what with Petunia sulking and managing to insert nasty comments about the current Head Girl into every conversation. Petunia would be livid when she found out that Lily had gotten Head Girl. "Thanks mum," Lily muttered, folding up the letter and putting it carefully back into the envelope. 

"So. Why are you crying? This is wonderful news!" Mrs Evans beamed at her youngest daughter, who was now fiddling with the hem of her skirt. 

Lily bit her lip. She couldn't tell her mother the real reason why she was so upset. Her family had no idea about how bad it was getting in the Wizarding world to be a Muggleborn. They had never heard of Death Eaters, the Dark Mark or Voldemort, and she intended it to stay that way. There was no need to worry them un necessarily - besides, if her Father had any idea at the kind of threats Lily had received last year, he would instantly pull her out of Hogwarts and she refused to leave that place. 

"Is it James?" Mrs Evans asked, frowning. 

"Mum!" Lily cried, exasperated, glaring at her mother from under her fringe. "Not everything revolves around James!"

"I don't know," Mrs Evans teased, " you seem to talk about him an awful lot." 

"I haven't spoken about James all holidays!" Lily protested, indignant. Honestly, as if she didn't get enough of this at school, did she really need her mother to tease her about how much she "fancied" James bloody Potter. 

"Oh, so it was another James Potter that you were complaining about to Mary last week?" Mrs Evans said with a knowing smile," and another James Potter that you were gushing over to Marlene. Oh and it must've been another James Potter that you were crying over because he took too long to respond to your owl?"

Lily paused, blushing bright red. "Well," she grumbled, "I haven't spoken to you about James all holidays. We're just friends and I don't fancy him!" she added quickly as her mother opened mouth, presumably to suggest just that. 

"I never said you did dear," Mrs Evans replied, still smiling. "If it's not James, what's upsetting you?" 

Lily sighed. "It's..." she hesitated before continuing, "it's the Head Girl thing Mum. How is -" she paused again, unable to find the words, unable to think of a lie that would convince her mum. She couldn't tell her truth, couldn't. How could she tell her Mother that she was crying because she knew that she was an even bigger target than before? It had been bad enough, when she was simply the pretty little Muggleborn who was top of all her classes and a Prefect. It had offended some Slytherins. Most Slytherins. She remembered, vaguely, in her First year, when it hadn't been a crime to be a Muggleborn. It still wasn't. Technically. Teachers did their best to stop the bullying, but they were smart, these future Death Eaters. She'd heard that some of the older students had even gone as far to take up the Dark Mark on their arm, openly declaring their allegiance. The real torment had begun in Sixth year. 

"Oh honey," Mrs Evans sighed, stroking Lily's hair, "don't worry about Petunia. I know you're worried about how she's going to react, but she'll get over it. You two are sisters, that means more than a Head Girl badge." She smiled at her daughter and kissed the top of her head. "Now I don't want to see anymore tears over this ok? It's sweet how much this silly bickering affects you." Mrs Evans stood to her feet with a groan. "I'm off to make dinner. Make sure you wash up and change before you come down ok? Love you." 

"Love you too Mum." Lily sighed and fell backwards onto her bed as her mother left the room. 

She was scared. Terrified in fact. The idea of refusing the Head Girlship had crossed her mind. It sounded mightily tempting, to not have to worry about the teasing, the jibes, the attacks, the problems that were certain to arise from all this. It had crossed her mind, but she knew she would never give this up. Not because of some silly, immature boys who thought they were better than her because of her blood. She could handle bullying, she could handle being picked on and she could certainly stand up for herself. She didn't think she could handle how disappointed she'd at herself if she did back down. She was Lily Evans. She never backed down from anything. 

Besides, the girl thought, a small smile tugging at her lips. James would kill anyone who hurt her. He was such a wonderful friend. Lily squashed the fear that was still squirming around in her tummy and sat up. It was time for dinner.

 

**A/N:** ok, new chapter! Song lyrics are from "the blues" by Switchfoot, on their "nothing is sound" album 


End file.
